The present invention relates to identifying a failed device on a network.
Data packets on a network are transmitted through devices, such as routers and switches, on the way to their destinations. In many networks, these devices are connected in such a way that failure of one device can make an entire branch of the network inaccessible. For example, if a device is the only route to several other devices, failure of that device will prevent data packets from reaching those other devices and their downstream destinations.
To restore full network service, a failed device must be identified and repaired. The failed device can be identified by determining the topology of the entire network and then locating the failed device using the topology. This approach, however, can be computationally intensive, particularly where the network topology changes over time.